The Plumbline

The beginning of strife is like letting out water [as from a small break in a dam; first it trickles and then it gushes]; Therefore, abandon the quarrel before it breaks out and tempers explode. (Proverbs 17:14) Most of the time, this world is in some form of strife. We see one 'battle' settle down, only to observe another start right up. As long as humans are human, strife will exist. As long as Christ inhabits humans, there will always be peacemakers and peacekeepers! A small break in a dam may seem insignificant at first, but the first big storm that comes along will 'prove' the integrity of the dam even more, won't it? The integrity of one's heart is proven whenever the 'big storms' of life come into our relationships.  Abandoning a quarrel may seem like a big thing to ask because we all have the opinion our 'issue' is the biggest one in the midst of the quarrel, don't we? We might not realize the damage the 'small crack' is doing...